Search form

LAWRENCE-University of Kansas student and faculty musicians will have an opportunity to perform two concerts at the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City.

“Opportunities for music students to perform in distinctive venues profoundly impact our students’ musical development,” said Dean Robert Walzel. “Likewise, our students’ enthusiasm to pursue careers in music is fed through experiences performing in the same concert settings as professionals.”

This is not the first time the KU School of Music has connected with a Kansas City arts group to take student and faculty musicians into the larger metropolitan area. The KU School of Music developed a partnership with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City years ago and now offers an apprentice program with the notable opera house.

“We continue to create opportunities for our student and faculty musicians to perform in the Kansas City area, and our successful partnerships with the Lyric Opera and Kauffman Center are two ways in which we have been able to encourage this outreach activity,” said Walzel.

The Kauffman Center concert series with the School of Music, titled “KU at the Kauffman Center,” will feature the following concerts:

7 p.m. Nov. 13
“American Icons”
The KU Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble I will perform a concert titled “American Icons,” featuring a performance of “Manne — That's Gershwin,” arranged by renowned film composer John Williams, as well as works by Aaron Copland, John Philip Sousa and other American composers. Faculty soloists will perform, and notable guest artists Steve Houghton, drums, and KU alumnus Gary Foster, saxophone, will appear as soloists with the KU Jazz Ensemble I. The Wind Ensemble is directed by Paul W. Popiel and Jazz Ensemble I by Dan Gailey.

7 p.m. May 5:
Maestro David Neely will lead the KU Symphony Orchestra and KU Opera in a spring concert opera. Fresh from their performance in summer 2011 at the Eutiner Festspiele in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where they received glowing reviews for their delivery of “Don Giovanni” and “Hansel and Gretel,” KU music students look forward to an entertaining and inspiring performance on the stage of the new Kauffman Center

Both events are free and open to the public. Tickets are required as seating is reserved. Please contact the KU School of Music for ticket information during regular business hours (M-F, 8am-5pm): (785) 864-3436 . Please note that seating is limited.

These Kauffman Center concerts have been made possible by the Kansas Partnership for the Arts, a series sponsored by Reach Out Kansas Inc.; Smithyman & Zakoura, Chartered, of Overland Park; and The Zakoura Family Fund.